Screening peripheral blood smear: A tale of the "TAIL"

Examining a well-stained slide in a systematic manner is the key to being a good pathologist. For a blood smear, it involves examining first at low power (40× or 100×) for broader details and then going on to high power (400×) for finer details, from the tail end to the body of the slide. The 'tail end' is the key to early diagnosis.